NFL Capsules (Week 17)PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are back on top of the AFC North. Antonio Brown returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown and added a clinching 63-yard scoring grab with 2:50 to go in the Steelers' 27-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night. Pittsburgh (11-5) earned its first division title since 2010 by sweeping the season series from the Bengals (10-5-1). The Steelers are the No. 3 seed in the AFC and will host Baltim...

Lions DT Suh suspended for playoff gameNEW YORK (AP) — Ndamukong Suh is in trouble with the NFL again. The Detroit defensive tackle was suspended for this Sunday's wild-card playoff game against Dallas for a violation of safety-related playing rules against Green Bay in the season finale. The league announced Monday that Suh was suspended for stepping on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' left leg twice, once with each foot. Suh also applied pressure and pushed off Rodgers' unprote...

Qualls, Portis lead Arkansas past NW State 100-92FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Michael Qualls was all-too familiar with the Northwestern State's potent guard combination of Jalan West and Zeek Woodley, with the three having played on the same AAU team while in high school in Louisiana. The Arkansas guard saved his best collegiate performance for his former teammates, and the Razorbacks needed every bit of his career-best 28 points in a 100-92 win over the feisty Demons on Sunday. Qualls, from Sh...

Clarksville beats KnightsHOT SPRINGS — The Clarksville Panthers defeated the Centerpoint Knights 54-52 in the first round of the Hot Springs Tournament held Monday. Clarksville led 19-9 after the first quarter but trailed 31-23 at halftime. After the third quarter the score was 41-33, but the Panthers outscored Centerpoint 21-9 in the fourth to secure the victory. Casey Benton led Clarksville in scoring with 18. Brandon Baker had 13. Logan Wood scored 10. Bailey Patto...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Apaches outlast GravetteALMA — The Pottsville Apaches beat the Gravette Lions 60-57 in the first round of the Alma Tournament on Saturday in overtime. Pottsville trailed 13-12 after the first quarter, but established a 30-20 lead at halftime. After the third quarter the score was 44-40 and the Lions battled back to tie the game at 54 at the end of the fourth. “This was a step in the right direction for us,” Apaches head coach Shane Thurman said. “Especially on the of...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Lady Cyclones wrangle CowetaHARRISON — The Lady Cyclones dominated the Coweta, Okla. Lady Tigers in the first round of the Lendel Thomas Classic held Monday inside Lendel Thomas Gymnasium. The Lady Cyclones (4-6) put Coweta away 45-27 by the final buzzer. Unlike most high school basketball games in Arkansas, the Lendel Thomas Classic is divided into two 16 minute halves, rather than four eight minute quarters. It was different, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Lady Cyclo...

What to hunt when big seasons closeThe modern gun deer season is coming to a close on this first Sunday after Christmas, and the state’s generous duck season is also winding down. So what do hunters do when the biggest parts of the 2014-15 hunting season come to a close? Well, they simply turn to their Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) booklet and find out what critters are still available to harvest! Arkansas is blessed with an abundance of game in which we can pursue and...

Campbell eager to return to actionFor a moment it seemed like the Russellville Cyclones basketball team would have to do without leading scorer Andy Campbell. Campbell was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot earlier this season and told he could not return until the start of the 7A/6A-Central Conference season. But before the diagnosis, there was some doubt whether Campbell would be able to return at all. For now, the Cyclones are making due without. Campbell signed a...

Atkins to host Holiday ClassicATKINS — Despite it’s on-again, off-again history, the Atkins Holiday Classic has become something of a tradition for the Atkins Red Devils and Lady Red Devils basketball teams. Atkins has hosted the classic — off and on — for the last 10 years. Lady Red Devils head coach Craig Pinion put the classic together when he was the head coach of the Red Devils several years ago. Since then he’s tried to keep it going. “We didn’t do it the last year o...

RHS coach search continuesRussellville athletic director Johnny Johnson hopes to fill the Cyclones head football coaching position soon. The position, which Johnson said the Russellville School District had been looking to fill since the conclusion of the 2014 football season, was opened when former Cyclones head coach Jeff Holt stepped down from all coaching responsibilities earlier this year. The Russellville Board of Education accepted his resignation on Dec. 16. “I...

Yell County Invite begins MondayDARDANELLE — Danville Little Johns head coach Dusty Wright remembers the exact moment he fell in love with the Danville basketball program — it was when he was a student teacher several years ago, during the Yell County Tournament. “They had to bring seats out to line the court. The atmosphere was insane. It was that moment I fell in love with Danville,” he said. The Yell County Tournament was a long standing tradition, but when several of the...

Portis, Qualls lead Arkansas past Milwaukee 84-54FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Bobby Portis spent much of the offseason working to become more comfortable in a leading role for Arkansas. The standout Razorbacks sophomore appears to have finally found a reliable wingman in junior Michael Qualls. Portis and Qualls continued their season-long 1-2 punch by combining to score 35 points in an 84-54 win over Milwaukee-Wisconsin on Monday night. Portis, Arkansas' preseason All-Southeastern Conference se...

Governor Beebe addresses Hogs football teamFAYETTEVILLE — Outgoing Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe apparently would like to exit accompanied by an Arkansas Razorbacks bowl victory. For the second time this football season, Beebe Friday addressed the Razorbacks, this time as they ready for Monday’s Texas Bowl game in Houston against the Texas Longhorns at the NFL Houston Texans’ NRG Stadium. If the Razorbacks play as well vs. Texas as they did after the last time the Governor addressed the...

RHS baseball adopts Junior CyclonesThe Class 6A defending state champion Russellville Cyclones baseball team will have a few young faces in the dugout this upcoming season with the addition of the Junior Cyclone program. The program, which is a fundraiser conducted by the Cyclones Baseball Dugout Club, is designed to put kids between the ages of 7-13 on bat boy responsibilities during a Cyclones home baseball game later this year. “They get to go out with the team and spend tim...

The ins and outs of the NFL playoff pictureNow that they've qualified for the postseason, there's no relaxing for the Packers, Lions, and Steelers. Nor for the Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, Patriots and Broncos. Week 15 saw defending Super Bowl champion Seattle secure its passage to the playoffs with a 35-6 rout of Arizona on Sunday night. It also had Dallas clinching the NFC East; Pittsburgh setting up a showdown for the AFC North title with Cincinnati; Green Bay and Detroit winning t...

Arkansas women knock off OklahomaNORTH LITTLE ROCK — Jessica Jackson and Kelsey Brooks combined for 47 points leading the University of Arkansas women’s basketball team to a 71-64 win over Oklahoma in the inaugural SEC/Big 12 Challenge in North Little Rock Sunday. Jackson scored 23 and Brooks dropped in 24 points in a foul-infested game at Verizon Arena. Jackson went 8-for-16 from the floor with one three pointer and made six-for-seven from the line. Brooks tied the school re...

Portis leads Hogs over Southeast MissouriNORTH LITTLE ROCK — Sophomore Bobby Portis equaled a season-high with 24 points and was part of a trio of Razorbacks that enjoyed a homecoming on Saturday night, as Arkansas defeated Southeast Missouri State 84-67 in front of 11,375 fans at Verizon Arena. Portis was in attack-mode from the opening tip, hitting a three-pointer on the opening possession and a jumper on the next. His dunk at the 14:50 mark in the first half gave the Razorbacks th...

Whirlwinds basketball gives backWhen the Russellville Junior High School (RJHS) Student Council put up an “Adopt a Whirlwind” tree inside the halls of the junior high school it gave students a chance to give to those less fortunate to themselves. It also gave Whirlwinds head basketball coach Matt Howerton an idea. The tree, which was decorated with tiny Whirlwind ornaments, was a chance for the student body to spread holiday cheer to needy students within the school district...

A hunter's 'Night Before Christmas' poem‘Twas the night before Christmas, I was driving in my truck, Headed to the woods in search of a buck. My broadheads were ready and honed with extra care, Sharp enough to shave even the toughest of hair. The morning came early as I rose from my bed, While visions of a typical 10-pointer danced in my head. The drive was a long one, but I knew I must go, For I hadn’t used a tag, no, not even for a doe. While climbing my tree, I tried not to clatt...

Merry Christmas River ValleyEach year I continue to be amazed at just how rapid Christmas and the holiday season seem to come back around. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and all that it stands for, but time seems to get shorter year after year! All across the Arkansas River Valley, it is evident that Christmas is in full swing from amazing light displays, crowded lines at every store in town and a definite chill in the air from the latest arctic blast. Christmas ha...